Contents
What is that awful smell floating about your home? You trace it to a little-used utility sink in the laundry that has somehow gotten clogged. Now, whatever is stuck down in the drain is rotting and filling your home with a not-so-wonderful aroma.
What are you going to do?
Here are some tips from a Caringbah plumber on how to unblock a drain.
DIY Methods
There are a few DIY methods you can try to unblock that sink before calling in a plumber.
Let’s look at the most effective ones.
Plunging the Drain
Got a plunger? Most people have at least one on hand to clear out drains when they get stopped up. They are most often used in toilets, but can be effective in other types of drains as well.
Get your plunger, seal it around the drain, and pull it up and down sharply. The suction is often enough to dislodge small objects or break up clumps of stuff that has stopped up the pipe.
Boiling Water
If your drain is so clogged that not even a little bit of water can seep through, this one probably won’t work. If your sink is already full of water, the boiling water will likely cool too much before reaching the clog.
Leave the drain for a while to slowly clear. Then try dumping boiling water down the drain.
The heat can be enough to dissolve or break up clumps, particularly of grease or food.
A word to the wise, don’t dump boiling water down PVC pipes or you could end up with a leak from joints loosened by the heat.
Coat Hanger to the Rescue
Another option is to use a metal coat hanger or other type of thin metal wire. Straighten out the coat hanger and create a little hook on the end.
You can now insert this into the drain until you run into the clog. Start gently poking to see if you can clear the clog. Alternatively, you can try to hook the clog with the hanger and pull it out of the drain.
Cleaners
The final method you might try is to pour cleaners down the drain in hopes of dissolving or breaking up the clog.
A natural cleaner you can try is to shake a bit of baking soda into the drain, followed by vinegar. The acid and the base will create a chemical reaction that fizzes and bubbles, potentially loosening the clog.
Alternatively, you can use commercial cleaners, but take care and use them sparingly. These are caustic and detrimental both to you and the environment.
Professional Plumbers Help
If you don’t have any luck with the DIY methods, it’s time to call in the professionals. Call Curran Plumbing in Caringbah for the best, most efficient service you’ll ever get from a plumbing team.
